Every institution in this study is sent the same six questions and, where it replies, its own entry. What follows is what they told us, in their own words where they wrote in their own language. Our English rendering is labelled as ours. Corrections are published in full, with the source and the date, beside the original.
Sicherheitsfonds BVG, Zentralstelle 2. Säule, Switzerland
17 August 2026
Answered in full, and confirmed this entry in writing.
Schriftlicher Kontakt per E-Mail an info@sfbvg.ch oder per Post an Sicherheitsfonds BVG, Eigerplatz 2, Postfach 1023, 3000 Bern 14. Zum Identitaetsnachweis genuegt eine Kopie des Identitaetsausweises. Ein persoenliches Erscheinen in der Schweiz ist nicht erforderlich. Im Todesfall sind die Formulare der Homepage ebenfalls anwendbar; beizulegen sind Kopien des Todesscheins und eines amtlichen Belegs zur Verwandtschaft, etwa Familienausweis, Erbbescheinigung oder Geburtsurkunde. Die Kopien muessen nicht beglaubigt werden. Die Suche erfolgt ueber das Formular auf sfbvg.ch/aufgaben/suche-vorgehen, einzureichen per E-Mail oder Post.
Our English rendering: Written contact by email to info@sfbvg.ch or by post to Sicherheitsfonds BVG, Eigerplatz 2, Postfach 1023, 3000 Bern 14. A copy of an identity document is sufficient proof of identity. Attending in person in Switzerland is not required. In a death case the forms on their website also apply; enclose copies of the death certificate and official proof of relationship, such as a family record, certificate of inheritance or birth certificate. The copies do not need to be certified. The search is made using the form at sfbvg.ch/aufgaben/suche-vorgehen, submitted by email or post.
They also confirmed that copies do not need to be certified, which is unusual in this study.
Liechtensteinische AHV-IV-FAK, Liechtenstein
17 August 2026
Answered in full, confirmed this entry in writing, and confirmed the published pages on 14 September 2026.
Schriftlicher Kontakt per Post an AHV-IV-FAK, Gerberweg 2, 9490 Vaduz. Fuer kleinere Anfragen genuegt E-Mail an ahv@ahv.li. Fuer Personen mit Wohnsitz im EWR, in einem EFTA-Staat oder im Vereinigten Koenigreich wird der Antrag bei der Institution des Wohnsitzstaates eingereicht, welche die Identitaet nach ihren eigenen Regeln prueft und den Antrag weiterleitet. Personen mit Wohnsitz ausserhalb dieser Staaten nehmen direkt Kontakt auf, wobei E-Mail genuegt. Ein persoenliches Erscheinen in Liechtenstein ist nicht erforderlich. Im Todesfall besteht kein Sparkapital, auf das Erben Anspruch haetten, da es sich um ein Umlageverfahren handelt. Witwen, Witwer und Waisen einer Person mit liechtensteinischer Versicherungskarriere koennen jedoch Anspruch auf eine Witwen-, Witwer- oder Waisenrente haben, nach demselben Verfahren wie bei einer Altersrente. Ein oeffentliches Register der Versicherten besteht nicht. Der Weg zur Entdeckung eines vergessenen Anspruchs ist der Auszug aus dem Individuellen Konto, anzufordern ueber ahv.li/online-schalter/ik-auszug-anfordern mit einer Kopie eines Identitaetsausweises.
Our English rendering: Written contact by post to AHV-IV-FAK, Gerberweg 2, 9490 Vaduz. Email to ahv@ahv.li is sufficient for smaller enquiries. For people resident in the EEA, an EFTA state or the United Kingdom, the application is made to the institution of the country of residence, which verifies identity under its own rules and forwards it. People resident outside those states make contact directly, and email is sufficient. Attending in person in Liechtenstein is not required. In a death case there is no capital sum to which heirs are entitled, because the system is pay as you go. Widows, widowers and orphans of someone with a Liechtenstein insurance record may however be entitled to a survivor pension, by the same procedure as an old age pension. There is no public register of insured persons. The route to discovering a forgotten entitlement is the extract from the individual account, requested at ahv.li/online-schalter/ik-auszug-anfordern with a copy of an identity document.
Valsts socialas apdrosinasanas agentura, State Social Insurance Agency, Latvia
17 August 2026
Answered five of the six questions. Consent to publish this entry was granted at Deputy Director level on 7 September 2026. The Agency is named; no officer is named.
Latvia, State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA). A former insured person now living abroad contacts the Agency by e-mail to konsultacijas@vsaa.gov.lv or through the consultation hotline +371 64507020. A person with a length of service in Latvia usually has a Latvian personal code; the Agency can also try to identify a person by name, surname, address and phone number, so Latvian electronic identification is not required. A person living in the United Kingdom claims a Latvian pension through the Department for Work and Pensions as the competent authority; physical presence in Latvia is not mandatory. Where the insured person has died abroad, the heirs first contact the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (pmlp.gov.lv) so that the death is registered in Latvia, and then the Agency about any unpaid services. There is no register of forgotten entitlements; a person inquires by contacting the Agency. The Agency states that its advice is informative and not binding on the award of a service. Source: the Agency's written answers of 17 August 2026.
Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje (HZMO), Croatia
4 September 2026
Answered five questions in writing with consent to publish. The English entry text was proofread and returned by HZMO on 8 September 2026.
Croatia, Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje (HZMO), 4 September 2026
Source: Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje, written reply of 4 September 2026. English is our translation; the Croatian original is on file. Five questions were put to the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute on 16 August 2026; five answers were given in writing. HZMO consented to publication, with the institution named as the source and the date of the reply stated. Reference KLASA 140-01/26-24/34, URBROJ 341-99-01/9-26-25, Zagreb, 4 September 2026.
How can a person living abroad contact HZMO in writing? A person living abroad can contact the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute in writing by post, by e-mail, or by using the "Postavite pitanje" (Ask a question) web form available on the HZMO website. A written submission can be sent either to the HZMO central office or to the competent regional organisational unit of HZMO (contact information can be found on the HZMO website), depending on the nature of enquiry or procedure.
How can a person prove identity without a national electronic identification? Not having an electronic identification credential is no obstacle to contacting HZMO or to filing a claim in writing. A claimant's identity is established using an appropriate identity document along with any other data and documentation required to conduct the specific procedure. If the procedure requires additional confirmation of the claimant's identity, HZMO may request further document or additional documentation. In cross-border procedures within the European Union, the required data and documentation are exchanged officially between the competent institutions of the member states in accordance with the EU rules on the coordination of social security systems.
Can a claim be completed without the person being physically present in Croatia? Yes. Physical presence in the Republic of Croatia is, as a rule, not required to file a claim or to conduct the procedure for exercising pension insurance rights. A person who is a permanent or temporary resident of another EU member state files a pension claim through the competent pension insurance institution of the state of residence. After that, the competent institutions exchange the data and documentation needed to conduct the procedure. If any additional data or documentation is required during the procedure, HZMO will request it in writing from the claimant or through the competent foreign institution.
What is the procedure for heirs if an insured person or pensioner died abroad? The right to a pension ends with the death of the pension beneficiary; monetary entitlements from pension insurance that fell due before the beneficiary's death and were not paid out to them may be subject to inheritance. Heirs can request payment of these due and unpaid amounts based on a final decision on inheritance or a European Certificate of Succession, providing the necessary data and documentation needed for the payment. If the family members of the deceased insured person or pension beneficiary meet the conditions prescribed by law, they can separately file a claim for a survivor's pension. The right to a survivor's pension is not inherited; it exists as a separate right under pension insurance.
Is there a register through which a person can discover a possibly "forgotten" entitlement? In the Republic of Croatia, there is no single register that allows a person to check whether a pension insurance right exists that they have not exercised or for which they have not filed a claim. However, the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) maintains master records (matična evidencija) of insured persons, contribution payers, and beneficiaries of pension insurance rights. A person can request their recorded data from the HZMO master records and contact the HZMO for information on how to exercise specific pension insurance rights.
The Croatian Pension Insurance Institute agrees to the publication of the above information, with the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute named as the source and the date of the reply stated.
Ceska sprava socialniho zabezpeceni, Czech Republic
18 August 2026
Answered on the discovery route.
Zadost lze podat i v cizim jazyce. Vypisy dob pojisteni zasilame i do zahranici.
Our English rendering: The request may also be submitted in a foreign language. We send extracts of insurance periods abroad as well.
The document is the informativni osobni list duchodoveho pojisteni, the individual pension insurance record, available under section 40a of Act No. 582/1991 Coll. It covers periods of pension insurance and, from 1986, assessment bases and excluded periods.
It can be requested by letter, by data box, or electronically with a qualified electronic signature sent to the electronic registry at posta@cssz.cz. Where a person has no electronic signature, the institution recommends applying by post.
The request must state birth number, first name, surname, birth surname and the address the record should be sent to.
Postal address: CSSZ, Krizova 25, 225 08 Praha 5.
The statutory period for sending the record is 90 days from delivery of the request.
National Pension Service, Center for International Affairs, Korea
18 August 2026
Replied, and stated that this question falls outside its authority.
“the Center for International Affairs is responsible for international cooperation matters, including the implementation of social security agreements, and we do not have the authority to provide official answers regarding the general procedures and services covered in your inquiry. For inquiries regarding overseas access to the Korean National Pension System, please submit your questions through the official website of the National Pension Service.”
The department that handles social security agreements is the part of the institution a former contributor abroad would expect to reach. We have followed the route it gave.
PUBLICA, Switzerland
11 August 2026, entry confirmed 17 August 2026, reconfirmed 7 September 2026
Confirmed this entry in writing.
They publish no figures on insured persons who cannot be reached, and gave a structural reason: unclaimed exit benefits pass to the Stiftung Auffangeinrichtung BVG once the statutory period expires, so figures at the level of a single fund would carry little meaning.
This is why a search that ends at a former employer's fund can end too early.
Government Employees Pension Fund, South Africa
17 August 2026
Confirmed its entry in writing.
They gave the only precise definition of an unclaimed benefit obtained in this study: a benefit is unclaimed where the mode of exit and the last day of service are known, but the benefit is not paid within 24 months of the last day of service. Their published list of unclaimed benefits is distributed within South Africa only, and there is no separate breakdown for members believed to be living abroad.
Department for Work and Pensions, United Kingdom
8 September 2026
Answered FOI2026/85792, narrowed from FOI2026/83224 under the Section 16 advice given on 24 August 2026.
The Pension Tracing Service received 863,019 online enquiries between 1 September 2025 and 30 August 2026.
The Pension Tracing Service received 54,943 telephone enquiries between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026.
The Service does not maintain data on postal enquiries, and no routine management information pack exists for the period.
The Department states that this management information comes from the same operational source data systems as its published administrative data, is not a recognised National or Official Statistic, has not been subjected to the same level of Quality Assurance, and that these figures should be treated with caution.
The two figures cover different twelve month periods, one month apart, so each is stated with its own date range and they are never added together.
Fondation Hassan II pour les Marocains Résidant à l'Étranger, Morocco
1 September 2026
Replied and routed the enquiry to the Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale. Reference 2583/int/26, registry stamp 3603, Rabat, from the Legal and Social Assistance unit.
The Fondation Hassan II pour les Marocains Résidant à l'Étranger replied on 1 September 2026, reference 2583/int/26. The Foundation states that pensions belonging to first-generation Moroccans have not been declared by a number of European states, and describes this as a file that has been passed over in silence. It offers support and says it is ready to supply data on the question. It directs the enquiry to the Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale as the supervisory body, noting that CNSS is bound by several agreements covering Moroccans resident abroad who receive pensions from host countries. Source: written reply of the Foundation, 1 September 2026. The Arabic original is published alongside this entry; the English is our summary and has not been confirmed by the Foundation.
Read the original Arabic letter, reference 2583/int/26, Rabat, 1 September 2026 (PDF)
Secretaria de Estado de la Seguridad Social y Pensiones, Spain
9 September 2026
Answered on contact channels, identification and heirs, with consent to publish given on 9 September 2026. Questions 5 and 6 remain open. INSS did not reply itself.
Answered on 7 September 2026 on contact channels and identification, and on 9 September 2026 on heirs: those concerned supply the deceased's details and their own, such as DNI, the applicant's tax identification card, the death certificate, the family book and a marriage certificate, complete the pension application form, and present it at any CAISS. On the working-life report, a person must identify themselves by one of the available methods and, holding none, must apply for one. On 9 September 2026 the Secretaria de Estado authorised publication of this information. Questions on a discovery register and on published figures remain open.
The Spanish original is on file. The English is our summary and has not been confirmed by the authority. Every route named presumes presence in Spain or a prior Spanish identity.
National Social Security Institute (NOI, NSSI), Bulgaria
9 September 2026
Answered on the written route by the European Regulations and International Agreements Directorate, reference 1030-40-3169 #5. Questions 4 to 6 remain outstanding.
Replied on 9 September 2026 to the inquiries of 14 and 17 August and 8 September 2026. A certificate of Bulgarian insurance periods or income, including periods with an insurer that ceased activity without a legal successor and whose payroll records passed to the NSSI, is requested on a standard form downloadable from the NSSI site, by post, personally signed, giving full name, address and a Bulgarian identifier (EGN, a foreigner's personal number, or an NRA service number). No copy of an identity document is required. A notarised power of attorney is required only where a representative applies. The application may go to any regional office regardless of residence; for a person outside Bulgaria the Institute recommends the Sofia city Regional Office, 62-64 Al. Stamboliyski Blvd., Sofia 1303. Applications should as a general rule be in Bulgarian; English is accepted by exception and not recommended.
Form: https://www.noi.bg/administrativno-obslujvane/formulqri/formulyari-i-obraztsi-za-osiguritelen-arhiv/ and offices: https://nssi.bg/en/contacts/, both read on 9 September 2026.
Published under the notice model with the standing right of reply. No consent was asked or given. The English is our summary, not the Institute's own words.
Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger, Austria
27 August 2026
Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger, written reply of 27 August 2026. German entry sent for review on 31 August 2026 and approved in writing on 25 September 2026. English is our translation, not reviewed by the authority.
Antwort der Behörde, 27. August 2026. Der Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger hat schriftlich bestätigt, dass es derzeit keine Statistiken zu Ansprüchen von Versicherten gibt, die nicht mehr erreicht werden können, und dass solche auch in naher Zukunft nicht geplant sind. Die Statistiken zu Pensionen werden nach den vom Bundesministerium für Arbeit, Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz erlassenen Statistischen Weisungen für die Pensionsversicherung erstellt.
"Es gibt derzeit keine Statistiken zu Ansprüchen von Versicherten, die nicht mehr erreicht werden können, und es sind auch in naher Zukunft keine geplant."Our English renderingThere are currently no statistics on entitlements of insured persons who can no longer be reached, and none are planned in the near future.
Our English translation of the approved German entry
Authority response, 27 August 2026. The Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger confirmed in writing that there are currently no statistics on entitlements of insured persons who can no longer be reached, and none are planned in the near future. Pension statistics are compiled according to the statistical directives for pension insurance issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection.
Central Provident Fund Board, Singapore
25 August 2026
written statement from the Deputy Director, Media and Publicity, CPF Board, provided for publication.
"Foreigners who worked in Singapore before 1987 may have contributed to the Central Provident Fund (CPF), Singapore's national social security savings scheme. These foreigners' CPF accounts were closed in April 2024 and have since stopped earning CPF interest. We encourage affected foreigners to withdraw their CPF savings as soon as possible."
The official route cited by the Board is cpf.gov.sg/AccountClosure.
Inspection generale de la securite sociale (IGSS), Luxembourg
8 September 2026
Inspection générale de la sécurité sociale, written request of 8 September 2026, text supplied by the authority for publication.
Les droits à pension du régime général relèvent de la Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Pension (CNAP). Des informations sur l'assurance pension obligatoire peuvent être consultées sur le site Internet de la CNAP : https://cnap.public.lu/en.html
Les personnes ayant été affiliées à l'assurance pension obligatoire au Luxembourg peuvent obtenir un certificat d'affiliation ou un certificat de revenus via la procédure présentée sur Guichet.lu : https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/sante/affiliation-securite-sociale/certificat/certificat-ccss.html
Concernant les droits à une pension complémentaire financée par un employeur luxembourgeois, les personnes concernées peuvent accéder à des informations supplémentaires via ce lien : https://guichet.public.lu/en/citoyens/travail/pension/pension-complementaire/droits-pension-complementaire.html
The three pages were read on 8 September 2026. The CCSS certificate route runs through MyGuichet.lu or an order on the CCSS site, delivered either to the eSpace on MyGuichet.lu or on paper to the address held in the Registre national des personnes physiques. The supplementary pension data is available on MyGuichet.lu only with authentication by a LuxTrust product or an electronic identity card.
Ceska sprava socialniho zabezpeceni (CSSZ), Czech Republic
16 September 2026
Ceska sprava socialniho zabezpeceni (CSSZ), written reply of 16 September 2026, reference 10000/5690613/26. Published with the consent of CSSZ. English is our translation; the Czech original is on file. CSSZ is not responsible for the content of information published on the websites of other parties.
- How can a person living abroad contact you in writing?A person living abroad may contact CSSZ by email at posta@cssz.gov.cz for general enquiries or at callcentrumduchody@cssz.gov.cz for pension enquiries, by letter to CSSZ, Krizova 25, 225 08 Praha 5, Czech Republic, or through the CSSZ data box 5ffu6xk if they have one. A person living in another EU member state, in a state applying Regulation 883/2004, or in a state with which the Czech Republic has a social security agreement in force, may also approach CSSZ through the competent institution in their place of residence. Where the person lives in an EU state, the pension application is submitted through the institution of the place of residence.
- Can that person prove identity without a national electronic identification means?A person abroad who wishes to communicate with CSSZ electronically, for example through the online services of the CSSZ ePortal, must identify themselves by logging in. They do not need to hold a Czech national electronic identification means. They may log in through the international ID gateway using a foreign identification means recognised under Regulation 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services, known as eIDAS.
- Can a claim be completed without the person being present in the country?Yes. A pension application can be dealt with without the insured person being physically present in the Czech Republic.
- What happens when a pension holder dies abroad and the family does not know a Czech entitlement exists?Instalments of a pension due up to the date of death and not paid to the pensioner pass to the spouse, the registered partner, then the pensioner's own or adopted children, and failing those persons they become part of the estate. The person applying must submit a final decision establishing them as an heir, for example a ruling of the probate court (usnesení dědického soudu), identifying the heir by name, surname, date of birth or birth number and address. Where CSSZ does not yet know of the death, a death certificate is also required.
- How does a person find out they have an entitlement they never knew about?Entitlement to a pension arises when the statutory conditions are met, but the pension is granted only on application. The entitlement itself does not prescribe. The right to individual payments lapses for any period longer than five years. A person can check their recorded insurance periods and whether the conditions are met through the online services of the CSSZ ePortal, logging in by the means described in the identity answer above.
Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Australia
17 September 2026
Written reply from the ATO Media Unit, 17 September 2026, supplied for publication as sent and attributable to an ATO spokesperson. No individual is named.
- Contact. How may a former worker now living abroad contact the ATO, in writing, from outside Australia? We note the ATO's published position that it does not usually make email addresses available, and we would like to record the alternative accurately.A former temporary resident (FTR) who has returned to their home country may make a claim for their superannuation as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) once they become eligible.To be eligible to claim super as a DASP, the FTR needs to have departed Australia and must not hold any active Australian visa. The easiest way to claim a DASP is using the DASP online application system. While workers can start their application while they are in Australia, they will not be able to complete their application until they have left Australia and their visa has ceased to be in effect. More information about this process can be found here.Australian citizens, including those living overseas, can only access their super early in very limited circumstances, including to pay certain expenses on compassionate grounds and severe financial hardship. More information on accessing super early can be found here.To ensure individuals remain connected to their super, it is important they maintain and update contact details with their super fund and the ATO. We recommend individuals undertake a super health check at least once a year.
- Identity. Can that person establish their identity without a myGov or myGovID credential, which generally requires an Australian mobile number or Australian identity documents? If not, what is the alternative?Yes - Proof of identity can be established without the applicant having access to MyGov or MyGovID.FTRs can establish their identity by using the DASP online application system to make a claim, their identity will be verified through the online process.If a FTR or an Australian citizen / permanent resident now living overseas is unable to access the DASP online application system or ATO online services respectively, they can complete a paper application for payment of ATO-held superannuation money (NAT 74880). For super held by a super fund, use Application for a departing Australia superannuation payment form (NAT 7204) – send this form directly to the super fund.More information regarding ATO-held super can be found here.
- Presence. Can a claim for ATO-held super be completed in full without the person physically appearing in Australia?Yes - ATO-held super may be able to be claimed by an Australian resident if they are outside of the country where the required eligibility conditions are met to release the funds.This can be completed electronically through ATO online services, DASP online application system or by completing a paper application for payment of ATO-held superannuation money (NAT 74880)
- Death. Where a member has died abroad, what is the route for their estate, and what documents are required?Required documentation will vary dependant on the relationship of the applicant to the deceased.Generally, a certified copy of the below information will be required:
- The death certificate
- Proof of identity of the applicant
- Proof of authority:
- An Australian grant of probate or letters of administration – Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration must be Australian or Resealed in Australia or
- Where an applicant does not have a court grant, the ATO may still be able to assist, however documentation requirements can vary depending on the circumstances of each claim
More information regarding eligibility and documentation to support third-party claims and the certification of documents can be found here.If you are outside of Australia, you can have copies of your documents certified by staff at an Australian high commission or consulate.If the original document is not written in English, you must have an approved translation service (for example, the Department of Home Affairs, an appropriate embassy or professional translation service) provide you with an official true and correct written translation of the document. You must then provide a certified copy of the written translation. - Discovery. Is there any register, statement or service through which a person outside Australia may discover super they have forgotten, without myGov?If FTRs are not sure where their super is, they can search for it by:
- using the DASP online application system once the eligibility requirements have been met and a TFN has been provided
- phoning the ATO.
Pensionsmyndigheten (Swedish Pensions Agency), Sweden
10 September 2026
Pensionsmyndigheten, written reply of 10 September 2026 to six questions put on 17 August 2026. English is our translation; the Swedish original is on file. The Agency consented to publication and reviewed this entry before it was published.
- How can a person living abroad contact the Agency in writing?Through the "Skriv till oss" (Write to us) service on pensionsmyndigheten.se, described in English on the page "About the Swedish Pensions Agency and how to contact us", and through the other contact routes listed under "Kontakta oss". Most answers to questions of this kind are published on pensionsmyndigheten.se, with an English section.
- How can a person prove identity without a Swedish e-identification?A person can submit a life certificate (levnadsintyg). A person can also take the application form to a population registration authority, a social insurance authority or a police authority in the country of residence, or to Försäkringskassan, the Swedish Pensions Agency, a Swedish consulate, the Church of Sweden or a notary public, and show a passport or other identity document to the person who signs the form. The international forms are published on the Agency's site. Development is under way so that a person can log in to pensionsmyndigheten.se with a foreign European e-ID through Sweden Connect.
- Can a matter be completed without the person being physically present in Sweden?Yes. The Agency publishes guidance on applying for the Swedish public pension while living in another country, in Swedish and in English.
- What is the route for survivors if an insured person died abroad?Contact the Swedish Pensions Agency. Guidance on survivor's pension for those living outside Sweden is published in Swedish and in English.
- Is there a register or service through which a person can discover a forgotten entitlement?A pension forecast is available on pensionsmyndigheten.se and on minpension.se. A person who cannot log in can contact the Swedish Pensions Agency. Information on other benefits that can be applied for is published on pensionsmyndigheten.se.
If your institution appears in this study and you would like to see your entry before 1 October 2026, write to hello@pensionhunter.ai and we will send it to you.